Assionoe to bxxihotoh ac



COMPUTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1926 W. R. STEFAN EK Aug. 24 1926.

BUUUDHD INVENTOR. flaw; R 1% BY Mel.

. ATTORNEY WITNESSES Patented. Aug. 24, 1926. A

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAI B. STEFAN, OI DETROIT, KICHIGAN, 8161103 To more! 10- COUNTING MACHINE OORPORA'IIQN, NEW YORK, I. Y., A CORPORATION OI NEW YORK.

OOIIUIING ncnnm.

Application fled January Mv invention relates to combined ty writing and computing machines and it as for its principal object to provide certain improvements in this clearande proof mechanism of such machines.

To the above and other ends my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations and arran ments of arts, all of which will be ful y set forth l0 herein and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention, at least in part,-is in the nature of an improvement on or modification of that described-in the patent to Poole 1 No. 1,491,167, April 22, 1924, for calculating machine. Said patent shows .a Remington. accounting machine equipped with clearance proof mechanism for the cross 'footer, the construction being such that when the carriage steps out of that particularcomputing column in which the cross footer should be brought to zero the step of the carriageto sub-units position of such column trips off a device which looks up the machine against further computing operation. .At that same step of the carriage the cross footercar-.

riage is tripped off. and jumps back to normal position. A tripping finger in the cross totalizer is sodisposed and controlled that if said totalizer has been brought to zero said finger will, during the jump-back of the carriage, immediately restore the locking device to its normal unlocking position, but if the cross totalizer has not been cleared then the said device willremain in locking position.

There are some classes of work in which there is no definite column, the computing of a number in which should clear the cross totalizer, and the Poole clearance proof mechanism, in the form shown in the patent, is thereforeinapplicabletosuchasituation. In order to adapt the Poole mechanism to such a situation I have changed the time at which the locking device is tripped off by the carriage, and have arranged so that the finger on the cross totalizer releases the lock on' the leftward travel of the cross totalizer into computing position instead of on the jump-back of the totalizer out of comput mg position. a

' One embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, all of which are more or less fragmentary so 20, 1826. Serial I0- as to show only those parts of the machine 4 that are necessary to an understanding .of my invention. i

\ In said drawings, 1

Fig. 1 is a front elevation with parts broken away. Y i M Fig. 2 is a plan view with parts in section on the line 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a left' hand side elevation of the cross totalizer, partl broken away, with some of the associate devices shown in section on line 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is on a larger scale than the other figures. The Remington accounting machine is well known commercially and it is in its essential features fully shown and described in the patent to Wahl, No. 1,270,471, June 25, 1918. It includes a Remington typewriter, of which in the present drawing there are shown conventionally only two types 10 and one of the numeral keys 11, the latter connected into the computing mechanism by means of a link 12 as well as being connected to operate one of the types 10. The frame workv of; the computing mechanism includes a casting 13, which by certain screws and brackets issecured to the top plate of the typewriter and which has fastened to it a number of vertical frame plates, of which only .the extreme righthand one ,14 is shown in the drawing, this late being fastened to' the end of the castmg 13 by two screws.v The numeral keys 11 and links 12 operate the actuator of the computing mechanism. Said actuator includes a vertical master wheel 15 and a cross'master wheel 16, the former operating vertical totalizers as 17, 18, 19, and 20, and the latter a cross totalizer 21. There may be any desired number of the vertical totalizers mounted on a truck which is not shown, but which is connected to travel forward (in letter feed direction) and back with the typewriter carriage, sothat each of the vertical totalizers defines a computing zone or column on the paper. The cross totalizer 21 is mounted on a cross truck 22 .which by ball bearings 23,. travels right and'left in the part 24 of the stationary frame work. When in the leftward travel of the carriage a vertical totalizer approaches the master wheel 15, a lug 25 thereon picks up the cross truck and draws it leftward through the width of an adding memes column, this being done by means of a coupler bar or pickup beam'26 and lock ngbar 27 the former having a lug 28 wh ch is engaged by the lug 25 on the totalizer. The bars 26 and 27 are pivoted at 30 to a bracket 31 of the cross truck 22, and means are provided'; whereby at the end of an adding column they are depressed so as to free them from the liig 25 and to allow the cross truck to be jumped back to its right-hand position shown in the drawing, by means of a spring 32 shown in Fig. 3 but omitted in the other figures to avoid confusion.

When the cross. truck makes its ]ump to the right it is arrested by means of a bar 33 which projects rightward from said truck, striking against a lever 34 which at 35 .is pivoted to the frame plate 14 and which is normally pressed slightly leftward by means of a spring 36. When the cross truck is in its right-hand position it presses this lever flat against the frame plate 14 but when the truck is drawn to the left the lever moves a short distance away from said plate. This lever has articulated thereto a link 37 which is one elementfin a train of mechanism, theeifect of which is to lock the numeral keys at all times when one of the vertical totalizers is over the master wheel 15 and when the lever 34 is 'in its right-hand position shown in the drawing. In the Poole patent above referred to this lever and lock are utilized for a clearance proof lock and the showing of said lever and of the link 37 herein is intended as a conventional showing of such a lock. It will, of course, be understood that any suitable lock can be used.

The master wheel 16 normally turns in a direction to cause addition in the totalizer 21. It can be reversed to cause subtraction by a plurality of means, the principal one including subtract cams 38- which may be mounted on any desired ones of the vertical totalizers; and which when a totalizer so equipped is over the master wheel 15, depresses a follower roller 40mounted on a lever arm 41 and normally pressed up as shown in Fig. 1 by a spring. When this roller and lever occupy their upper positions shown. the master wheel 16 will add, and when they are depressed by one of the cams 38. said wheel will subtract.

The clearance proof mechanism described in the Poole Patent No. 1,491.167 includes a feeler mechanism capable. of detecting or testing whether or not the wheels of the cross totalizer 21 all stand at zero. Said totalizer includes in each denomination a carrying wheel 42. an idler pinion 43 and a dial pinion 44. the last secured to one face of the numeral wheel or dial 45. The feeler consists of a comb 46 pivoted in the side plates of the totalizers at 47 so that it can be pressed against the teeth of the pinions.

44, said comb having one prong or tooth projectin into the plane of each of said pinions. ach of said pinions has one tooth 49 thereof made shorter than the rest, and this toothis so chosen that when the dial 45 shows a zero the short tooth 47 will register with the comb tooth 46 and if all of these short teeth register with said comb teeth the comb can rock forward to the position shown in Fig. 3, whereas if any one or more of the dials shows some other digit than zero one or more of the pinions 44 will have a long tooth opposite the comb and said comb will be forced to occupy a position somewhat rearward of that shown 30 in Fig. 3. The comb 46 has secured to its right-hand end a bell crank 48, the rear end of which is articulated with the front end of an arm 50. The bell crank is pivoted at 51 and includes a vertical arm 52 which projects through a slot in the top casing plate of the totalizer and which constitutes a finger or tripper, whose position denotes the condition or state of the totalizer. If the totalizer is clear the finger 52 can occupy its rear position shown in Fig. 3, but

if the totalizer is not clear this finger will be forced to occupy a position forward of that shown.

A locking lever 53 with which the finger 52 co-operates is pivoted at 54 to a sheet metal bracket 55 which is secured in place by the same screws which secure the bracket 14 to the casting 13. This bracket extends leftward a short distance behind said casting and supports several parts of the clearance proof mechanism besides the lever 53.

The locking lever 53 has three arms, one being a horizontal arm from which at its left-hand end an ear 56 is bent ofi rearward and a notch in said ear embraces a depending portion 57 of the bracket plate 55 so as to guide the up and down motion of this arm of the lever. The lever 53 has also a depending arm from which a lug 58 is bent off in such position that if the lever 34 were in its left-hand position and the lever 54 were rocked counter-clockwise from its normal position shown in Fig. 1, this lug would press the lever 34 to its locking position the same as the cross truck does. This arm alos carries a button 59-andthe locking.- lever may be restored to its normal position, by depressing this button with the P0 finger.

The third and upstanding arm of the lever 53 is utilized to cooperate with a latch 60 which normally holds the locking lever in the position shown in Fig. 1. This latch P5 is in the nature of a bell crank pivoted at 61 to the plate 55 and having a horizontal arm with a notch cut out of itsv free end to form a shoulderwhich cooperates with 9. lug bent off from the upper arm of the H lever 53 whereby said lever 53 is latched against rocking counter-clockwise. The spring 62 is connected at one end to the upstanding arm of the lever 53 and at the other end to a depending arm of the bell crank 60. This spring performs the double function of holding the etch in its latch1n position, and of giving the lever 53 a ten ency to rock to locking position. a

Means are provided to trip the latch 60 at a certain point in the carriage travel. This mechanism includes a" )ush wire 63, which at its right-hand end 15 guided in an ear 64 of the frame plate 55,- the end of the wire bei ada ted to push the vertical arm of the atch lever 60 riglrtward and thus release the latch. At its left-hand end the wire 63 is ivoted to an arm 65 of a bell I crank, whic is pivoted on a stud or pin 66, which is rigidly mounted in a sheet metal bracket or frame piece 67, which is secured to the upper edge of the casting 13 by two screws 68 of which only one is shown. The bracket 67 has a base part lying flat on the casting 13, from which the metal is bent upward to form a vertical portion 70 and thence forward to form a horizontal portion 71, and the stud 66 is riveted into this horizontal shelf or roof of the bracket from which it hangs downward. The-arm 65 is held in its normal left-hand position by means of a spring 72. The bell crank, besides the arm 65, includes a leftward extending arm 73 to which at 74 is pivoted a dog 75, which dog is controlled by a spring 76. A pin 77, projecting from the dog and striking the edge of the lever arm 73, revents clockwise rotation of the dog in ig. 2, but allows said dog to rock counter-clockwise. The forwardly projecting arm of the dog is abrupt on its lefthand face, and is inclined on its right-hand face.

The clearance proof mechanism as thusfar described may be identical with that shown and described in the Poole patent hereinbefore referred to, and in the drawing it is shown in substantially the same form as in said patent.

In order to operate the dog 75 to trip the latch 60, I mount on one of the vertical totalizers a tripper or cam piece 78. This is here shown mounted on the top of the totalizer by means of screws assing, through right and left slots in the trip piece, to allow adjustment. The tripper preferably projects leftward from the totalizer and at its left end it has a nose 81, the pointed tip of which is adapted to strike against the dog 75 and to operate the same. In the drawing the parts are shown in that position of the carriage travel where the left-hand edge of the nose 81 is just in contact with the inclined surface or edge of the dog 75. The next step of the carriage -to the left will deflect this dog and. as the latter cannot turn clockwise, the effect will forms this operation the nose 81 will pass by the dog 75 and allow the bell crank 73, 65 to be immediately restored to its normal position by the spring 72. When the carriage is drawn back toward the right the bell crank cannot rock any further counterclockwise than it is shown'in the drawing, but the dog 75 can rockin that direction about its pivot 74 and the nose 81 will therefore deflect the do'g 75 without operating the bell crank 73, '65. The Poole patent shows a tripper cam or wiper bar somewhat resembling the arts 78 and 81, but differently situate and disposed, as will be more particularly explained later on.

The means whereby, the. finger 52 coo erates with the lock lever 53 includes a orizontal cam plate or bar 82 secured to and spaced a short distance forward from the horizontal arm of. the lever 53 by means of posts 83 and screws 84. In the Poole patent there is shown a cam plate or bar somewhat similarly situated and mounted, and having at its left-hand end an inclined lower edge 85 which may, if desired, be retained in the present construction. In the Poole patent when, the cross footer-being clear, it jumped back to its right-hand position, this cam was struck by the top of the finger 52 and cammed upward, thus restoring the lock lever to it's normal ition. In the Poole patent thegunder si e of this bar to the right of the incline 85 was straight, so that under the conditions just above mentioned, when the cross footer reached its normal right-hand position the finger 52 would continue underneath this straight lower edge of the bar 82 and would hold said bar and the lock lever 53 in theirnormal positions. In my constructiom'however, I cut out that portion of the under edge of the bar 82 which normally stands above the finger 52 as indicated by the curved line 86 the positions shown in the drawing, it is desired to add a number in the vertical totalizer 17 and a tabulator key is operated to move the carriage leftward to the selected denomination in said totalizer, the first part of the leftward motion of the carriage will cm'se the nose 81and associate parts to trip of! the lock lever 53 and allow said lever to drop to its locking position. When the lug 25 of the totalizer 17 engages the lug 28 of the pick-up beam 26 and has drawn the cross truck slightly to the left the finger 52 engaging the incllne 87 Wlll ra se the bar 82 and restore the lock lever 53 to its normal position where it will lmmediately be caught and retained by the latch 60. This will indicate a clear condition of the totalizer. It will be perceived, however, that indication or proof of clearance 1s afforded by the motion of the carriage into the first computing column instead of, as 1n the Poole patent, by the mot on of the carriage out of the last computing column.

The cross totalizer 21 may if desired, contain a spring, acting continuously to press the comb 46against the pinions 44 and these totalizers are sometimes so constructed. This spring is, however, omitted from the Poole patent and from the present drawing, so as to leave the pinions 44 free of any braking action due to the comb 46 at the time when said pinions are being rotated; and a separate device is provided to press the comb against the pinions and to press the finger 52 rearward at the instant when that action is desired. The device used .for this purpose in the present instance 1s a modification of the one described in the Poolepatent. The bar 82 has an ear bent forward from its upper edge and to said ear a lever or wiper device 88 is pivoted at 90, this device being acted on by a tenslon spring 91, tending to rock the same clockwise in Fig. 2. The leftward extendmg arm of the device 88 at its free end is bentdownward along its forward edge to form a vertical section, and the lower part of the latter is bent rearward to form an approximately horizontal section which as seen in plan view in Fig.2, is of inverted V shape, having a right-hand incline 92 and a lefthand incline 93. This cam section of the device 88 is so disposedthat when the lever 53 drops to its locking position said section is substantially horizontal. This device 88, including its cam section resembles in some respects a device employed in the Poole patented mechanism; but in the present case said cam section is situated some distance nearer to the pivot 54 than in Poole, so as to adapt it to a different mode of operation, and it normally stands a little lower than in Poole. In the specific instance shown in the drawing, this change in the location of the cam section has been brought about partly bv moving the pivot 90 rightward and partly by bending the arm of the device 88-. into an S shape as shown in Fig. 1.

The cam section of the device 88 is so situated that in its right and left-hand travel the finger 52 passes to the rear of it, the point of the V being a little to the right of the incline 87 of the plate 82. If, when the cross totalizer 21 starts to move toward the left, said totalizer is clear, the incline 92 will steer the finger 52 reatward to the extent of its motion in that direction, causing it to encounter the incline 87 if the bar 82 happens to occupy its depressed position and to elevate said bar. In case the cross totalizer is not clear the finger 52 will be unable to assume its rearposition and it will itself therefore, acting on the incline 92, force the device 88 to rock against the tension of its spring 91. Said finger 52 in that event will not engage the incline 87 and will not restore the lever 53 to its unlocking position. The pressure of said spring will be communicated for the moment to the comb 46. This comb is therefore subjected to spring pressure to test the wheels for clearance only at the precise instant when that pressure is needed, namely during the forward motion or travel of the cross totalizer into position for computing in one of the computing zones.

In order to illustrate one instance of the utility of the preIent improvements the machine is rhown in the drawing set up for a jobof distribution work. I have shown only four vertical totalizers in order to save space on the drawing, but in most jobs of the character mentioned there would be a larger number. In this work the left-hand totalizer 17 and the corresponding column on the paper will be used to write the total amount of an item, which total amount is to be distributed among other columns variously classified. For example, in keeping account of sales of merchandise, a bill of goods sold to a particular customer might amount to $100,'whieh amount would be entered in totalizer 17. This amount is to be distributed among the different columns on the paper and the different vertical totalizers 18, 19, 20 etc. according to the classifications of the goods sold. Thus, of the $100, $40 might be for cutlery, $50 for machinists tools and $10 for sheet metal. The various distribution columns on the paper and totalizers 18, 19 etc. would be designated for these various classes of merchandisc and perhaps for a number of other classes. One bill of goods might be entirely of one class, so that the entire amount would be added into one of the distribution totalizers and another bill might be for a half dozen different classes of merchandise and would be distributed among the various appropriate columns and totalizers. Each of these distribution totalizers is provided with a subtract cam 38 so that whatever amount is entered into any one of them would be subtracted from the cross footer, whereas the first totalizer 17 is not so provided and amounts added in it will therefore be added in the cross totalizer. The sum total of all these distribution items should be e haled't'o the amount originally entered into t e totalizer 17 and cross footer 21 and when the last of them is written, if the Work has been correctly done, the cross totalizer will be brought to zero. It is obvious however, that the cross totalizer may be brought to zero in any one of the numerous columns on the pa er except column 17. There is no single col iimn at which the cross footer should mvariably be cleared, and the clearance proof mechanism of the Poole atent is therefore not well adapted for this particular piece of work. At whatever column the cross totalizer is brought to zero or cleared it should be. clear when a new amount is about to be entered in totalizer 17. It will be seen that my mechanism tests the cross totalizer for clearance as the carriage enters the first col-, umn and that it is therefore adapted perfectly for this use.

In distribution work some explanatory matter is usually written in the le 0 art of each line of writing so that when t e carriage is drawn back to the right it usually has some distance to travel leftward before the totalizer 17 reaches computing position, and the carriage is usually brought into position to compute in that totalizer by means of the tabulator mechanism. The carriage therefore may move ra idly into column 17 and for that reason I have shown the nose 81 spaced somewhat to the left of the totalizer 17 so as to-trip off the locking lever 53 an appreciable instant of time before the finger 52 ts into position to strike the incline 87, t is time being given so that the locking lever mayehave time to drop to its locking position fore the fin r 52 strikes it. In case no such space was eft at the beginning of each line of writi but the column 1 was itself the first t in written on the paper, then this nose could e moved a suitable distance to the right of the position shown because then the carriage. could not enter the computing column so rapidly.

In case a 8 ring is put into the totalizer 21 to press t e comb 46 normally against the imons -then the mechanism could, if desired be used to show clearance on the jum back of the cross footer, the same as in t e Poole patent except that the finger 52 would be drawn to its rearposition by the said sprin instead of by the device 88. The machine could be adapted for different classes of work by substitutin for the trippingddevice, 78, 81 another ifierently dis- Various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangements without departin from myinvention.

What I c aim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a carriage having a forward and return movement through a plurality of computin zones, a cross totalizer having register w eels for registering numbers in the several said zones, and a feeler device adapted to be pressed against said wheels to test them for clearance, of means acting to press said feeler device against said wheels by the forward motion 0 said carri e.

2. The com ination with a carriage having a forward and return movement through a plurality of computin zones, a cross totalizer having register wheels for registering numbers in the several said zones, and a feeler device adapted to.be pressed against said wheels to testthem for clearance, of means acting to press said feeler )device against said wheels by the forward motion 0 said carria e into the first of said zones.

3. The com ination with a carriage having a travel through a plurality of computing zones, and a cross footer adapted to register numbers in the several said zones and comprising a jumping element having a forward travel and a jum back in each of said zones, of a device set y the carriage travel to indicate non-clearance of said cross footer and means controlled by the state of said cross footer as to clear or not clear and acting during the forward travel of said jumpmg element to restore said indicating device in case said cross footer is clear.

4. The combination with a totalizer and a. master wheel one of said parts having a travel forward and back for each number registered in said totalizer, and a clearance proof device for said totalizer, of means whereby said clearance roof device is 0 er-- ated automatically by t e forward trave of said part into position to register the first number of a computation.

5. The combination with a carriage having a travel through a plurality of com uting zones, and a cross footer ada te to register numbers in the several sai zones and comprising a jumping element havin a forward travel and a jum back in each of said zones, of a device set y the carriage travel to indicate non-clearance of said cross footer and a device in said cross footer adapted to occupy one position when the cross footer is clear and another position when said cross footer is not clear, the two said devices being adapted when the totalizer is clear to cooperate in such wise as that the first said device is restored to its clearance indicating position by the second said device during the forward travel of said jumping element" into position for the registerin of the number.

6. The com ination'with a carriage having a travel through a plurality of computing zones and a cross footeradapted to register numbers in the several said zones and com rising a jumping element having a forwar travel and a jump-back in each of said zones, of a locking'lever set by the carriage in its forward travel into one of said computing zones to indicate non-clearance of said cross footer, and a clearance testing device in said cross footer adapted to restore said locking lever during the forward travel of said jumping element.

7. The combination with a carriage having a travel through a plurality of computing zones, a series of vertical totalizers, each defining one of said zones, a cross footerv adapted to register numbers in the several said zones andcomprising a jumping element having a forward travel and a jumpback in each of said zones, of a locking lever to indicate non-clearance of said cross footer, means whereby said carriage in its forward travel into the first of said zones sets said lever to locking position, and a clearance testing device in said cross footer adapted in case said cross'footer is clear to reset said lever during the forward travel of said jumping element.

8. The combination with a carriage, a series of vertical totalizers traveling with said carriage and defining a computing zone, a cross totalizer adapted to be picked up by each of said vertical totalizers on the forward travel thereof and to jump back at the end ofeach computing zone, a'device 53 adapted to be moved to a position to indicate non-clearance of the cross totalizer, means including a finger 52 for testing the state of said cross totalizer as to clear and not clear, means for moving the said nonclearance indicating device 53 to its non-clear indicating position during the forward travel of the carriage into a computing zone, and a spring-pressed member havin an incline 92 adapted during the fol-war travel of said cross totalizer to exert pressure on said finger 52 tending to move it to clearance position, and an incline 87 on said device 53 adapted to be engaged by said finger 52 to restore said device in case said cross totalizeris clear.

Signed'at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State. of Michigan, this 8th day of January A, D. 1926. p

WM. R. STEPANEK. 

